The Restricted Section
by bramtina
Summary: He didn't know when it started, or even why. But he knew it was wrong. He had to have her though and she wanted it too. He had to find a place they could be alone, a place where they wouldn't be judged. A place that only they knew.
1. I Like Your Sweater

The sun had begun to set on the horizon as the gleaming scarlet train glided through the winding tracks of the countryside. Inside were eager students on their way to school. Inside, two identical Weasley boys shared a cozy compartment and laughed.

"Another year, another reason to drink," Fred joked as he ate the Chocolate Frog he purchased from the sweets cart. His twin, George, laughed in agreement while he shoved a licorice wand in his mouth.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," George told him. He chewed loudly on his candy while Fred licked his fingers of the chocolate that the Frog left behind. He flipped over his collector's card and chuckled.

Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, was smiling up at Fred. His blue eyes twinkled in the card, much like they did in real life, and the portrait smiled subtly.

"I've got about a dozen Dumbledore's," Fred sighed. "I was hoping for Cliodna. She is a _foxy_ woman."

George growled jokingly at the mention of the beautiful sorceress and shared a laugh with his brother. Fred put the card in his pocket and watched George as he swallowed another licorice wand.

As Fred watched his brother gorge himself with the chewy treat, a knock came from the compartment door and the boys turned their heads.

Hermione Granger stood in the doorway looking slightly frazzled. She pushed her curly hair out of her face, let out a sigh and smiled weakly at Fred and George.

"I was hoping they'd be with you," she muttered.

"I beg your pardon?" George asked her in a confused tone.

Fred watched her sway with the train and remembered how much he liked the sweater she was wearing. He followed her eyes as they went between himself and George.

"Ronald and Harry," she grumbled, crossing her arms.

Fred wondered how she put up with his little brother sometimes. He loved him but it always seemed to be Ron causing her anxiety. Harry never seemed to be innocent either.

"Harry wandered off somewhere and Ronald," she paused, rolling her brown eyes. "Well, I suspect he's still in the lavatory but I obviously have no way of checking."

George let out a snicker and smiled at Hermione who seemed to relax a little bit. She sighed and looked at Fred, who had joined in with his brothers' laughter. Leave it to Ron to keep a lady waiting because he had to use the bathroom.

"It's not funny," she said, laughing while she spoke.

"Well it's pretty obvious it is," George told her.

She smiled at the boys and started to close the compartment door.

"Thanks anyway, boys," she told them sweetly.

"Hermione," Fred blurted out. She looked at him expectantly, giving him her attention. He felt himself freeze and he stared at her oddly for a moment.

"I really like your sweater," he told her shortly. He grinned at her and felt his brother's eyes on him, though he didn't dare look at him.

"Thanks, Fred," she said, obviously caught off guard. Her cheeks turning a light shade of pink, she bit her lip and closed the door, disappearing from their sight.

Immediately, George broke out in hysterical laughter and Fred felt his face getting hot. Fred grabbed his second Chocolate Frog and whipped it at George who deflected it and continued laughing.

"Oi! Shove off…" Fred mumbled.

"I really like your sweater, Hermione," George said, impersonating his twin in an amusing voice.

Fred glared at his brother before looking out the window of the train, watching the dim scenery pass by.

He wondered what had possessed him to make an outburst like that. He felt weird, almost embarrassed, but a smile played across his long face.

George's laughter subsided and Fred smirked at his brother, playing things as cool as possible. George raised an eyebrow at Fred and waited for his brother to speak.

"I'm not even sure what that was," Fred admitted with a soft chuckle. He shook his head while he grinned wider.

"I think she threw you for a loop, mate," George told him. "She's surprising everyone. I mean, when we walked on the train, half of the fifth years were looking at her."

"What are you talking about?" Fred asked, unable to understand what his brother was insinuating.

"She got bloody gorgeous over the summer! I think it's because she can finally tame her hair…" George joked. "Haven't you noticed?"

Fred shook his head. He'd never noticed any drastic changes in Hermione's looks. To him, she'd always been pretty and he thought that other people saw it too.

"Maybe it's just because I've seen her so much," Fred told him, not telling George what he really thought.

"Maybe," George said in a muffled voice. Fred looked over to see him shoving another sweet in his mouth. "You should keep complimenting her though. She's going to be all over us for the jokes now that her and little Ronnie-kins are Prefects. It will help if you butter her up every once in a while."

George winked jokingly at Fred, who let out a light laugh.

"I'm sure we'll be fine, Georgie. We've got to focus on finding testers first. The First Years will be easy targets," Fred explained.

Fred's head pressed uncomfortably against the glass of the window and hurt from being there so long.

George had eventually decided to go find Lee Jordan to buy more sweets and discuss the joke store business.

Fred sat in the compartment silently, alone with his thoughts. He'd felt better when George was with him and regretted not joining him to find Lee.

He didn't quite understand why he had decided to act on his thoughts. He'd always found Hermione pretty and he knew how brilliant she was. But he had never realized anything more than a friendly liking of her. Or had he?

Fred shook his head away from the window and sighed. He rubbed the spot on his forehead when it had been resting on the window and suspected a red mark to be there.

"Ahem?"

Fred jumped out of his daydream and back into reality at the sound of someone clearing their throat. He turned around to see Lee and George standing outside of the compartment.

"Are you coming or are you going to head back home to Mum?" George asked him, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not sure how happy she'd be to see you."

Fred forced a laugh and stood up to join his brother. He decided to leave the confusion for another time and greeted Lee with a hardy hug.

"Good to see you, Lee," he told him as the three of them started to make their way off of the Hogwarts Express.

"You too, Fred!"

The boys walked past the incoming First Years and towards the gateway for Second Years and up, where the carriages would take them to the Great Hall. Fred had taken the trip so many times before and it felt odd to be for one of the last times.

They all hopped in the carriage that drove itself and waited until more people came along to fill it. Lee showed them a scar on his forearm that he got from falling off of his roof. Fred couldn't keep his focus long enough to hear why he was up there, but he didn't care.

He brought his head back into reality just as George was explaining to Lee how they'd spent their summer: apparating where ever they pleased, using magic to its fullest. Fred smiled at his brother's excitement and realized how good it felt to be back. He pushed the thought of Hermione out of his head and decided to just enjoy the evening and save that headache for another day.

"Oi!" yelled a familiar voice. "Got enough room for us?"

Ron, Harry, Hermione and a blonde haired girl approached their carriage. Fred's heart rose and dropped at the same time. This was not what he needed.

"I suppose," George said teasingly. "Hop on!"

The four of them joined the twins and Lee and a moment later, the carriage began to move. Harry and the blonde girl sat next to Lee and George while Ron joined Hermione as she sat next to Fred.

_Of course she sat next to me, _he thought to himself. _Why wouldn't she?_

Fred blocked everyone out and was back with his thoughts. He bit the inside of his cheeks as he worked hard at figuring out a reason how he was feeling, and still nothing came.

He'd finally given up when he turned towards Hermione, who was tying her hair back into a ponytail. She fussed with it for a moment before pulling her bangs behind her ears.

Seeing her hair tied back sparked an epiphany in Fred's head and he knew it.

The Ball. The Yule Ball.

That's where it all began.


	2. Pink Nightmare

Fred ate a hardy dinner, though afterwards, his stomach felt completely empty and he knew why. He'd felt it before and he couldn't believe he'd been so oblivious to it. Fred silently ate a piece of ham as it appeared in front of his eyes on the dining table. He looked at Hermione who was in deep conversation with Ginny, his younger sister. She had changed into her Gryffindor robes and had let her hair back down but the image of her at the Yule Ball burned in the back of Fred's mind.

_Fred smiled at his beautiful date, Angelina, as the chatter in the room began to die and a path was made for the TriWizard Champions to enter. A fanfare of music began and Fred craned his neck to look over the crowd._

_ The first to enter was Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff house, and his date Cho Chang, from Ravenclaw. The two made a nice pair and they both smiled modestly as they entered._

_ Next was Fleur Delacour and she brought a Hogwarts studemt Fred recognized from Ravenclaw, a seventh year, like him. Fleur looked stunning as usual and Fred felt George's elbow go into his side. He winked at his brother and they shared a laugh._

_ The third to enter was Harry and his date, one of the Patil sisters. Harry looked nervous and uncomfortable but then again, he was a fourteen year old in a tournament for adults. Fred chuckled at Harry's awkward stares which earned him a playful slap from Angelina._

_ The last to enter was Viktor Krum, the Quidditch Champion. Who he was with shocked Fred, mostly because he didn't even recognize her._

_ Hermione wore a flowing gown of pink and purple shades that hugged her curves and fell gracefully to the floor. Her hair was pulled back into a curly up do, her bangs falling over her forehead._

_ "She looks incredible," Angelina muttered with a smile. She turned to George's date, Hanna, who agreed. Fred watched her closely as she blushed and waved to her friends in the crowd. He felt his stomach turn and then, it felt empty._

_ "Oi, when did Granger get hot?" George asked from behind Fred. He took a moment to respond._

_ "Dunno," he said simply. _

_ He felt like telling his brother, she'd always been beautiful, he was just too stupid to see it until that moment._

_ After the initial shock of Hermione's breathtaking entrance, Fred's night seemed to go virtually normal. He did not stare at her again, he did not talk about her. He simply enjoyed his night with Angelina and his friends. But, all night, he felt that weird emptiness in his stomach and did not know how to shake it._

"Freddie! Oi, are you alive?"

George's voice interrupted Fred's thoughts and brought him back into the Great Hall with everyone else.

"Huh?" Fred mumbled, unaware of what was going on. There was still loud chatter in the room and all the students were still eating.

"You've been nibbling on that ham for ten minutes," George told him with a loud laugh. "I thought if I gave you two another minute, you'd start snogging it!"

The students around Fred laughed at his brothers' antics and Fred turned on the act like a light switch.

"Well, she's a beautiful piece of ham. She needs to be treated with care and respect," Fred chuckled, caressing the food jokingly.

George shook his head and went back to his dinner while Fred went back to his.

He decided to stay away from his thoughts by keeping constant conversation with whoever he could. He spoke with Harry about the upcoming Quidditch season for the rest of the dinner and made sure his eyes never wandered to the other side of the table where she sat.

Dumbledore began his 'welcome back' speech, like he did every year and Fred continued to nibble of the treats in front of him, paying little attention to the Headmaster. That is, until he mentioned the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Everyone at Hogwarts was used to very temporary Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers so the introduction of a new one was no surprise to Fred. It was when the sound of a small throat clearing and a squeaky laugh stopped Dumbledore in the middle of his speech.

Fred lifted his head in unison with George and they glanced at one another, watched the squatty witch waddle up next to Dumbledore.

"I've never seen a toad that big before…" Fred mumbled to George under his breath.

George began to snicker but stopped when he realized how silent the room had gotten when the woman stepped in front of the podium.

"She was at my hearing," Harry told the group. Hermione looked at him nervously. "She works for Fudge."

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome."

The woman had an annoyingly high voice and Fred watched her pace in front of the podium in her pink suit.

"And how lovely to see all of your bright, happy faces smiling up at me" she said in an airy voice, scanning over the crowd of students.

Fred gave George a skeptical look, seeing that absolutely no students were smiling. They listened on, wondering what on Earth the pudgy new professor thought she was doing.

"I'm sure we're all going to be _very_ good friends," she told them.

Fred let out a chuckle and nudged George.

"That's likely," they muttered in unison. Fred heard Ron laugh across the table and knew he agreed.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged," the woman told the students.

Fred looked at Ginny and Hermione who both wore scowls on their faces. Ginny gave Fred an aggravated look as the professor continued.

"Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited."

The teacher finished her speech with a disgusting, squeaky giggle and she walked back to her seat next to Snape, who looked more unpleasant than usual.

"Wait a minute," Harry whispered as Dumbledore resumed his speech. "What does that mean?"

"It means that the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts," Hermione told him, still wearing a scowl on her pretty face.  
>Fred watched her for a moment but then averted his gaze as she turned towards him. He was silent for a moment before he looked back up at her. She stared back, her mouth in a hard line.<p>

"No worries," Fred told the group, though he never took his eyes off of hers. "George and I will run her out of here somehow."


	3. George Knows Best

When they returned to the Gryffindor common room, George spotted Angelina Johnson from across the room and went to catch up with her. Fred followed after, spotting Katie Bell along the way. He waved to her and motioned for her to join them. Fred wasn't going to let a little uncertainty ruin his first day back.

He gave Katie a warm hug as she approached them and then took a seat on the arm of the chair Angelina sat on.

"Good summer, Ang?" he asked pleasantly.

She smiled and gave him a nod. Fred felt a little better with as the sight of her smile. Angelina was always able to cheer him up and remembering that made him feel worse about ending their relationship over the summer.

A moment later, the common room got eerily quiet. Fred turned around to see Harry entering the room and noticed everyone staring at him.

'Poor bloke…" he heard George mumble. Fred watched silently as Harry made his way towards the staircase. Before walking up them, he turned around and spoke to Seamus and Dean, two Gryffindors in their fifth year.

"Dean, Seamus," Harry said. "Good holiday?"

"Alright," Dean told him shortly. "Better than Seamus' anyway."

Fred heard everyone's breathing as the room fell to a dead silence. Harry paused and waited as Seamus got to his feet and approached him.

"Me mum didn't want me to come back this year," Seamus said hotly in his thick accent.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Let me see. Because of you."

Seamus took another step towards Harry and Fred turned to George who nodded at him. They knew they might have to intervene to stop a fight.

"The _Daily Prophet_'s been saying a lot of things about you and Dumbledore," Seamus told Harry.

"What, your mum believes them?" Harry asked with a scoff.

"Well, nobody was there the night Cedric died," Seamus retorted.

George began to slowly stand up, waiting for the moment when Seamus would attack Harry. Fred prepared himself.

"I guess you should read the _Prophet_ then, like your stupid mother."

"DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER," Seamus yelled, taking a lung at Harry.

Fred and George bolted out of their seats as people gasped at Seamus' advance on Harry. Fred quickly grabbed Seamus by the arms and George ran over to grab onto Harry who struggled against him.

"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar," Harry snarled at Seamus.

"What's going on?"

Ron jogged in, Hermione close behind him and they stopped themselves in between Seamus and Harry. Seamus pulled hard against Fred's grip but was unsuccessful.

Hermione frowned at Seamus and then looked at Fred. He lost his focus for a moment but caught onto Seamus before he could go anywhere.

"He's mad is what's going on," Seamus told Ron harshly. "Do you believe the rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, I do," Ron told him shortly. He stared down Seamus as he continued to struggle against Fred's hold. "Has anyone else got a problem with Harry?" Ron asked the room.

It was silent. George released Harry who stomped up the stairs with Ron behind him. Fred let go of Seamus who shoved him away. Fred adjusted his wrinkled sleeves and looked around the room, which was now filled with a low chatter.

"Thank you, boys" said Hermione from behind Fred and George. They turned around and faced her. She looked upset but relaxed. "The last thing Harry needed was a fight."

"Well, we like our house colors but we didn't need blood all over the carpet," George smirked.

"Or worse, on our uniforms," Fred added. "It would take attention away from our handsome faces."

Hermione gave them a small smile before walking over to Ginny in the corner of the room.

Fred felt the emptiness return to his stomach, but a smirk was painted on his face. He turned to his brother who was giving his a curious stare.

Fred raised his eyebrows at his brother, who was not fooled. He saw Fred's expression and chuckled before returning to Katie and Angelina.

Fred walked towards the stairs with his hands in his pockets, biting his lip. What was he going to do?

Fred sighed as he walked up the staircase to his room.

How could he ignore how he felt?

He couldn't keep it up and he knew it. Fred flung himself onto his four-poster bed and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He puffed out his cheeks and let out a long breath.

"Stop breathing like that, you look like a bloody puffer-fish."

George's voice startled Fred, making him roll off of his bed, landing hard on the ground with a thump. George laughed loudly as Fred got up, rubbing his hip that had taken most of the fall.

"Blimey, George. Be more intrusive…" grumbled Fred. He got back on his bed and laid down, his shoulders leaning against the headboard.

"Blimey, Fred. Be more grumpy," George said, mocking his brother. "What is your problem today?"

"It's nothing. Just feeling a bit peaky," Fred lied. He felt bad, lying to George, but he didn't want to talk about things at that time.

"You think I'm stupid, Fred?" George asked him plainly.

Fred looked at his brother appoligetically and lowered his head.

"I suppose you've already figured it out then?" Fred asked him.

George nodded with a small grin on his face. Fred returned it and looked at his brother for help.

"It's not as terrible a situation as it seems, mate," George assured him. "I mean, yeah, Ron never shuts up about her but I've never once heard her talk about him."

"I couldn't do that to Ron," Fred explained, sighing again. "But maybe if I give this time, it will pass."

"I wouldn't hold your breath, Freddie. I mean, Hermione…she's a great girl."

Fred groaned at his brother.

"This is just not what I need," Fred told George.

"Well you can't ignore love," George told him. Fred gave him a look of utter confusion and George laughed loudly.

"That was the sappiest thing I think I've ever heard…" Fred muttered, letting out a soft chuckle.

George winked before making his way out of the room.

"Now, I've got my own lady to swoon. Katie is looking especially fine tonight."

Fred laughed and watched George bound down the stairs and out of sight.


	4. I Will Not Cause Mischief

"Follow me."

Fred looked at George, confusion in their gazes, as they walked behind the plump woman in her pink nightgown. She waddled down the empty corridor, her slippers making slapping sounds against the stone floor. The noise echoed off of the walls and made it seem eerily quiet in the hall.

The three of them turned into Umbridge's office which was decorated with a sickening amount of kitten plates, all meowing at the entrance of the new comers.

"Sit."

She looked at them menacingly and the twins sat lazily in the two wooden chairs set up in front of a desk. They exchanged looks and watched as their professor bustled around, grabbing parchment and quills.

"We're writing lines?" George asked in disbelief.

"That'll teach us," Fred whispered.

Umbridge smiled an ugly grin at them and smacked the parchment and quills down in front of them.

"Why yes you are, boys," she told them, glaring at them. "You're going to write _I will not cause mischief _on that parchment until I'm satisfied."

"We need ink," Fred told her plainly. He just wanted to leave. No matter how many times he wrote a sentence, it would not change his love for danger.

"No, not with these quills. Now, get writing."

Umbridge watched them intently as they wrote over and over again on the parchment, _I will not cause mischief_. Fred traced the imprint the quill made when he wrote lazily and glanced at George, who wore an ugly look on his face. Then suddenly. George's face began to contort and he let out a soft "ouch".

Fred's left hand twitched and he felt a burning on it. He and his brother both began to shake their non-writing hands. Fred looked down at his and when he tilted his hand over to look at it, blood splattered onto the parchment.

_I will not cause mischief_ was carved into the back of his hand in his handwriting, blood smeared over the words. Fred looked at George nervously and his brother's hand was just like his.

Fred felt the anger rising up inside him and he saw it in George too. They glared up at Umbridge as she removed the parchment from in front of them. Fred's hand shook and burned, both from pain and from anger.

"You are free to go," Umbridge told them. "I hope you learned your lesson."

Fred walked out of her office without a word, George following close behind him. The twins walked in silence back to the common room, rubbing the back of their hands the whole way.

"Fred! George!"

Hermione flung herself at Fred who caught her just in time. She squeezed him tight and he felt himself blushing. The anger seemed to flow out of him at her touch and he held his breath for a moment.

"Whoa, someone's happy to see us," George joked. He looked happy, though Fred saw how upset he still was. George stuck his hand in his pocket and smiled at Hermione.

"I just got worried," Hermione admitted. "I knew you were going for a walk but it's been nearly two hours!"

Fred smiled at Hermione, who was always endearing when she was frazzled.

"We ran into Umbridge along the way…" George grumbled. "Bloody woman."

"She lectured us for about a half an hour," Fred lied.

"Well, I'm just happy you're back," Hermione told them. At that moment, Ginny came down the stairs and smiled at her older brothers.

"Safe and sound, I see," she said, smirking at Hermione. "I told her not to worry."

Hermione blushed and shot Ginny a fake scowl. Fred looked at George who was still hiding his anger under his smile.

"I'm off to bed. That ruddy woman wears me out," George told them with a huff. He nodded at Hermione and Fred before walking up the stairs with Ginny. Their conversation died out as they walked to the dormitories.

"Alright, I'm safe. Are you happy? Can you sleep now?" Fred asked Hermione playfully.

She narrowed her eyes at him but it soon turned into a smile. Fred crossed his arms and returned the gesture.

"Oh my god, Fred," Hermione exclaimed in a hushed voice. She reached out and grabbed his left hand that he had unknowingly showed her.

His felt himself tense up as her warm fingers lightly touched his and brushed across the cuts on his hand. They burned as she examined them and he pulled his hand away abruptly.

Hermione gasped softly when he did so and took a step backwards. Fred shoved his hand in his pocket and looked at the floor.

"Sorry, Hermione," he mumbled, not making eye contact with her. "It's nothing."

"Fred, just let me see," she whispered, reaching for his hand again. She gently pulled his hand out of his pocket and flipped it over. She ran her delicate fingers over it again and Fred felt his heart beat begin to race.

"Did she do this to you?" she asked, anger thick in her voice. Fred said nothing and watched her gingerly inspect his hand and then she wrapped her fingers around his.

He lifted his head up and looked at her. She wasn't smiling but her cheeks were a soft shade of pink. Fred held his breath and untwined their fingers slowly.

"I need to go to bed, Hermione. I'll see you tomorrow."

Fred gave her one last glance before walking slowly up the stairs towards the dormitories. He looked over his shoulder on the third step to find Hermione looking at him uncertainly.

Fred swallowed hard and continued to his bedroom without another hesitation.


	5. Hogsmeade

September came and went along with the summer weather. Fred listened to the crunching of leaves under his shoes as he and George, along with many other Hogwarts students, made their way to Hogsmeade. Fred shoved his hands in his jacket pocket as the cool breeze picked up and smiled at the scenery around him.

He fiddled with his left hand, noticing how it no longer hurt, despite the ugly scars and bruises on his hand. It had been over a month since his run in with Umbridge.

It had also been over a month since he even acknowledged Hermione. Fred felt a knot in his stomach as he remembered the night that had pushed him to avoid her. He remembered how it felt to have her hand in his. Fred shook away the thought and continued walking with a happy smile on his face.

"What do you suppose Ron and Harry have planned?" George asked Fred. He had been wondering the same thing since Harry and Ron had asked him and his brother to meet them at Hog's Head for a meeting about the Order.

"No idea," Fred told him honestly. "I mean, only seventh years here are old enough to be in the Order. Do you reckon their planning to recruit?"

George shrugged. Fred spotted Angelina up ahead of them and called for her. She turned around and shot the boys a smile. George jogged up to her and Fred started to follow but something tugged on his right arm and he stopped jogging at once. He turned around to see Hermione. Fred saw George smile at him before he turned around and followed after Angelina.

Fred' eyes grew wide while Hermione stood behind him, holding his sleeve tight. Her expression softened and she began to walk in step next to Fred. He relaxed a little as they walked casually down the cobblestone path. They said nothing for a long time, but once they had fallen behind the pack, Hermione spoke up.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" she asked him plainly. He knew she knew the answer but he also knew how stubborn she could be. She wanted to hear it from him.

"I haven't been," Fred told her. "I've been busy hiding the jokes from you and Ron seeing as you threatened to write my Mum last time we even tested them."

Fred gave her a friendly smile and hoped he had redirected the topic. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him a smirked. Her brown eyes scanned his and she sighed.

"I'd appreciate if you could just tell me the truth instead of covering it up with a joke," she told him.

"What do you want me to say?" Fred asked defensively. He bit the inside of his lip as he waited for her response.

"I want you to tell me why you ran away the night you had your first detention," she told him bluntly. "I want to know why you've hardly spoken to me since."

"Hermione, you're smart. You already know the answer to that."

"I want to hear it, Fred. You owe me an explanation."

Hermione spoke to Fred with authority and he felt his nerves beginning to surface as the silence dragged on between them.

"I'm sorry but I don't want to talk about this now," Fred told her. Frustration began to overtake his body and he just wanted to get out. "We can meet somewhere later and talk then. Don't you have a meeting to run?"

Hermione didn't scoff or scowl at Fred, she simply gave him a small frown before walking out ahead of him.

Fred stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and then continued towards Hogs Head where an anxious George would surely ask him questions he didn't want to answer.

"It's worth it, Fred."

George pushed his red hair back as he encouraged his brother. He threw his feet up onto the wooden table and waited for Fred to respond.

"I don't think it is," Fred told him. He let out a long breath.

Fred glanced around the Gryffindor common room before continuing. When he spotted no one, he spoke.

"I can't do that to Ron. I can't."

"Sometimes you need to do what's best for you, mate," George told Fred. "Ron will get over it. Hermione has made it clear to him."

"That doesn't mean it's right for me to just step in," Fred argued. He groaned in frustration and tried to make his brother see his side.

"Fred, I'm not encouraging you to hurt our brother, but honestly," George paused and waited for Fred to look back at him. "I'm encouraging you to do what's best for you."

Fred looked at his brother. He hated it when George was right but he also loved it. He needed someone behind him and George was always the first in line. Fred smiled at him and nodded his head lightly.

"I really like her…" Fred admitted quietly. He didn't resist the smile that played across his face. George chuckled and walked over to his brother. He patted Fred on the back and squeezed his shoulder.

"That's what I like to hear," George told Fred. He let go of his shoulder and wandered slowly up the stairs. "You coming?"

"In a minute," Fred told him, grabbing the spare piece of parchment that laid on the coffee table in front of him. He walked over to the small desk in the corner of the room and retrieved a quill and some ink. He sat down and scribbled down a quick note, folding it neatly. He withdrew his wand from his back pocket and enchanted it to float. Fred watched the parchment glide through mid-air, up the stairs, heading towards the girls dormitories.

Hermione,

Meet me in the common room at midnight tomorrow. I promise, I'll explain everything.

Fred


	6. Meet Me At Midnight

Fred paced nervously in the common room, his footsteps loud in the empty room. His mind was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He thought of her and what he was going to say. He exhaled loudly and closed his eyes, collecting himself.

He looked up at the large clock hanging above the fireplace. Fred took another long breath as he read it; 11:56pm. Despite his nerves, Fred couldn't help but smile and be somewhat excited. They were going to have alone time, time to talk. That's all he needed. A little peace and quiet with her would help him sort out his feelings. Or at least, he hoped it would.

He walked over the thick, dark windows that lined the side of the common room and watched as leaves continued to fall and the harsh fall breeze whipped against the stone castle.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Hermione's voice startled Fred and he jumped at the sound of it. He turned around quickly to see her descending down the stairs. She was wearing the sweater she wore on the train. The corners of Fred's mouth rose and he smiled at her as she approached him.

"I guess," Fred told her, smirking at her. "It's about as pretty as pitch darkness gets, I suppose."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Fred and adjusted her orange sweater.

"What do you say we go for a walk?" Fred asked her, initiating the first step of his plan.

"After hours? What about Umbridge?" Hermione asked him skeptically. Fred gave her a mischievous grin though she hardly looked comforted by his gesture.

"We'll be fine, I promise."

Hermione paused for a moment before sighing and starting to walk towards the portrait hole out of the common room.

"I swear to you, Fred Weasley. If you get me in trouble, I will write your mother so quickly, your head will spin," she threatened though she followed it with a light chuckle.

Fred bit his lip, grinning widely as he did so and followed behind her into the dark hallways of Hogwarts.

Their walk became increasingly awkward as time passed, Hermione walking with her arms crossed and Fred with his hands in his pockets. They had nearly reached the library on the fourth floor.

"This isn't the greatest idea," Fred told her bluntly.

Even without another phrase, Hermione understood what Fred meant. She stopped walking and sat down on a stone bench in a small nook. Her eyes beckoned Fred to join her and he did immediately. Fred rested his forearms on his knees and waited anxiously for Hermione's response.  
>"The greatest things in life involve great risk," Hermione muttered. "My mother used to tell me that when I was younger."<p>

Hermione cleared her throat and sighed. Fred saw her hesitate before she placed her hand on top of his.

Fred nervously bit his lip, seeing his plan fall to pieces in front of him. This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to tell her: I need space, time to think. But he couldn't bring himself to move his hand away from hers.

"But what if that great thing isn't what's right?" Fred challenged her.

"I think it is."

Hermione spoke with confidence as she squeezed his hand. Her brown eyes scanned over his and he averted his gaze.

"But Ron-" Fred began.

"I'm not Ron's property," Hermione told him firmly.

"That's not what-"

"But that's how you act," Hermione interrupted.

"I don't mean to," Fred explained. "He's my brother, Hermione. How do you expect me to go about telling him I like his best friend?"

Hermione smiled bashfully, her cheeks reddening at the admittance of Fred's feelings. Fred huffed and tried not to smile at her endearing expression.

He let out a long breath and finally let a smile spread across his face. Hermione let out an airy laugh and she too smiled brightly.

The blissful silence was interrupted by the startling sound of heels on the stone floor. Fred snapped his head to his right, making nervous eye contact with Hermione. Their hands parted and they stood up quickly. Fred grabbed onto her hand and began to sneak around the corner, into the library. They tiptoed quietly into the dark, deserted room and waited tensely behind the main door. They closed it silently and turned around to see the huge library, pitch black and empty.

Fred released her hand as they stepped further into the library and Hermione started to giggle. Fred gave her an amused look and she covered her face with her hands.

"That was exhilarating," she said between girlish laughs. "I haven't snuck anywhere since second year."

He smiled at how carefree she was at that moment. He loved seeing her that way.

"We shouldn't stay though. I reckon there are tons of enchantments in here to keep us away," Fred told her. Her laughing subsided and she nodded in agreement.

"Back to the common room then?"

Fred nodded and they quietly made their way back to the portrait hole. They didn't speech much but they exchanged nervous laughs and smiles. Hermione spoke the password when they arrived and went back in to the red common room. When they walked in, someone was waiting for them.

George was sitting at one of the desks, talking quietly to Katie Bell. He gave his twin a mischievous glance and smirked. Katie let out a small giggle as George whispered something in her ear.

"Walk me upstairs?" Hermione asked, grabbing Fred's attention away from George.

"Of course," he said.

They walked in silence up the stone staircase until they reached the girls' dormitories on the right. Hermione spun around and faced Fred, her hand hovering over the doorknob to her room.

"Thank you," she told him shyly. "For tonight. I had a good time."

"So did I," Fred said, biting his lip.

"Can we do it again soon?"

Fred was caught off guard by her straight forward question but he already knew his answer.

"Hermione, I need a little time to figure things out."

Hermione frowned for a moment but then nodded subtly. She looked up at Fred in confidence, putting on a brave smile.

"I understand," she told him. She paused and just looked at him. "Don't forget about the meeting tomorrow. Four o'clock sharp."

"I'll be there," Fred told her. He waited until she had vanished behind the thick wooden door before he sighed and hung his head.

He wished he knew what to do, what to say. But all he could know for sure what that he was falling for her and fast.


	7. Say Stupefy For A Sickle

"You've done it Neville. You found the Room of Requirement," Hermione said in disbelief. Fred and George followed behind her and Neville as they entered the stone hall that wasn't there moments ago.

"The what?" Harry asked from behind Fred.

"It's also known as the Come and Go Room," Hermione explained. It only appears when a person has real need of it. And it's always equipped for the seeker's needs."

Hermione smiled sweetly, glancing around the room. Fred just was amazed that Neville Longbottom had found a secret in Hogwarts that Fred and George hadn't.

"So say you really needed the toilet…" Ron mumbled. Hermione sighed and nodded.

"Charming, Ronald. But yes, that is the general idea."

"It's brilliant," Harry muttered.

As time passed, more and more students began to enter the mysterious room and then, the first lesson began. All of the members of the newly named "Dumbledore's Army" lined up in two lines and stood before a statue with a target on it.

"We're going to be working on disarming spells first," Harry announced from the front of the line. He looked at Neville who recited "Expelliarmus!" weakly. His wand flew out of his own hands and into the middle of the line.

Harry spoke to Neville and then demonstrated the spell, disarming the statue successfully.

The students went through the line, each of them attempting to disarm the target. Fred and George did it with ease, considering they were seventh years and had learned it years earlier.

Fred tried to avoid the thought picking at the back of his brain, keeping his eyes away from Hermione. He'd felt her eyes on him while he was performing spells but he'd turned the other way, away from her gaze. He knew George felt how tense he was so he was overly talkative the entire lesson.

After the lesson, Fred spent his evening quietly discussing Wheezes business with Lee and George. He put on a smile and a happy face but he couldn't shake the gnawing in the back of his mind.

Fred finally gave into his urges and made an ultimatum.

He wanted to see her.

He wanted her alone.

He was going to meet with her again.

End of story.

"What's on the agenda for today, Harry?" Fred asked him cheerfully. He was feeling much better than he had been over the previous days. He finally knew what he was going to do. It wasn't going to be an easy road but Fred knew it was worth it.

Fred walked in next to George, wand in hand and ready to practice spells.

"I'm just about to start so you'll see," Harry told him before bustling off. People began to line up on either side of him and watched as Harry walked through the middle of the two lines.

"Stunning is one of the most useful spells in your arsenal," Harry began. Fred smirked at Georg at the mention of stunning spells. There was nothing they liked better than a little noise. "It's sort of a wizard's bread and butter, really."

Throughout the lesson, Fred and George flung each other back and forth countless times, reciting the stunning spell "Stupefy". After nearly an hour of wand waving and twin-flinging, the group reassembled and took volunteers to demonstrate.

Hermione, of course, was the first to step forward, dragging Ron with her. Fred smiled as she tied her hair back loosely and he felt George nudge him.

"Come on, Ron," George said, cheering on his younger brother. Fred kept quiet when saw Hermione's eyes fixed on him. He smiled lightly and winked at her, making her giggle.

"I've got one sickle on Ron," George mumbled to Fred.

"You're on," Fred challenged.

The twins watched as Hermione flourished her wand and knocked Ron clean off of his feet. She laughed as he moaned, flying to the ground. He quickly got to his feet and scurried over to Fred and George.

George reluctantly placed a sickle in Fred's hand and shook his head at Ron.

"Thank you," Fred bragged.

"Shut up…" George mumbled.

Ron looked at them, his face a bright pink and chuckled nervously.

"I let her do that," he told them.

"Oh yeah," Fred told him, pretending to agree.

"It's good manners, isn't it?" Ron asked.

"Definitely," George teased.

The twins laughed in unison as a very embarrassed Ron walked past the group of girls surrounding Hermione, congratulating her. She shot Fred another playful glance before returning her focus to the group.

When the group parted, Fred gave George a quick pat on the back.

"I have business to attend to," Fred told him with a smile.

George gave him an encouraging shove in Hermione's direction and Fred jogged over to her.

"Miss Granger," he muttered in her ear, causing her to jump a little. She looked around to see if anyone was watching them. She smiled at him sweetly and raised an eyebrow at Fred.

"Midnight?" Fred asked her in a flirtatious tone.

Hermione giggled and nodded. She stared at him for a moment before running after Harry and Ron who were leaving the Room of Requirement.

Fred stood in silence for a moment before George's hand rested on his shoulder, squeezing it.

"I'm proud of you, Freddie."


	8. The Restricted Section

"Can I ask you something?" Hermione asked Fred as he led her through the hall. Fred slowed down and walked by her side, his hands casually tucked in his pockets.

"Of course," he told her.

She hesitated for a moment before looking up at him and smiling. He returned the gesture and waited anxiously for her to speak.

"What's with the sudden change?" she asked. Fred tried to think of exactly what she meant. She must have sensed his confusion because she chuckled and explained.

"I noticed how you were acting Fred. You were quieter than usual. You were still loud," she snickered. "But quieter. So I figured something was on your mind. But today, you were yourself again. Ginny told me you do that when you're uncertain about something."

"You and Ginny are talking behind my back?" Fred asked in a curious tone. He narrowed his eyes at Hermione jokingly and she began to blush.

"Well, yes but-"

"I see how it is!" Fred said, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. He laughed as she slapped his arm, begging him to stop making fun of her.

She grabbed onto his forearm lightly and linked her arm around it. Fred tried to hide his smile as he moved closer to him but it was no use. They turned the corner to the library and Fred pulled out his wand. He pointed it at the locked door and muttered, "Alohamora". The lock clicked and the large door creaked open. They walked in quietly, unlinking arms, and stared into the shadows again.

"What are we doing back here, Fred?" Hermione asked as she closed the door behind them. Fred lit up the tip of his wand and turned around to Hermione whose face was enchantingly smooth in the wand light.

"I wanted somewhere we wouldn't be interrupted," he told her. He decided to take a chance and held his hand out to her. He watched as a small smile formed across her face and she wrapped her hand around his.

Fred took a long breath and felt like his chest was filling up with helium, ready to lift him right off the ground. He held his wand in front of him as he led her in between the book shelves and towards the back of the library.

He felt Hermione's grip on his hand tighten slightly when they arrived in front of the Restricted Section entrance. Fred turned around and smirked at her confidently, though he hardly felt so. She gave him a nervous smile and he pushed open the door. It creaked loudly when he did and they stepped in quickly.

Fred closed the door behind them and remembered to sound proof the room.

"Muffliato," Fred recited. His wand brightened slightly and then dimmed back to its normal brightness. He turned around to face Hermione but found no one there. Fred searched as far as he could in the darkness but shadows made it impossible for him to see anything past a few feet.

"Hermione?" he asked. While he waited for her response, he began to walk through the eerie halls formed between shelves.

"Yes, Fred?" Hermione's voice asked from the darkness.  
>"Where are you?"<p>

"Come and find me," she said in a tone he'd never heard

from her before. She called out his name at random moments, teasing him.

"Merlin's beard, Hermione!" Fred huffed. "I came to spend time with you, not play hide and seek."

She laughed from somewhere behind him and he felt her hands on his shoulders a moment later.

"Sorry," she chuckled as he faced her. Her face was a bright shade of pink and she gave Fred a guilty look. "Let's go sit down."

"I'd like that," he said with a smile. He bit his lip as she led him to a small corner where she sat on the ground, tucking her knees into her chest. He sat next to her, keeping a comfortable distance.

Fred set his illuminated wand in between them and smiled at Hermione who was looking curiously around them.

"I'm surprised I actually got you in here," Fred admitted. Hermione scooted closer to him, dimming the wands light.

"I trust you, Fred," she told him. "If you didn't know what you were doing, you'd be expelled by now."

"Well, I'm happy you trust me," he said as he felt his stomach clench up. All he could do to relieve the tension was smile.

"You know, you never answered my question. About what made you suddenly change," Hermione told him.

"How did we get back to this subject?" Fred asked, chuckling lightly.

"I can trust you. So, I know you will tell me the truth when I ask you," she told him.

"Fine," Fred told her. He paused for a moment before the words spilled out of him. "I was thinking about you."

All Hermione did was smile. She didn't say anything and waited for him to continue. Fred looked at her and pressed on.

"I didn't know what to do. So yes, something was on my mind: you."

"You were uncertain about me?" she asked quietly. Fred nodded and felt his face growing hot. "Well what made you change your mind?"

Fred took a long breath. Everything was happening quickly and everything he thought he'd never share was being exposed. He looked at Hermione reluctantly. She gave him a soft smile and he knew what to do.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you," he mumbled, averting his stare away from hers. "I wanted to see you again."

Fred bit his lip hard. He saw Hermione looking at him from the corner of his eye but he didn't lift his head.

"I've never seen you be shy before," she observed. Fred felt a surge of courage run through him and he scooted even closer to her. Their hips were an inch apart and Fred felt the tension between them.

"I've never felt like this before."

He lifted his head and saw Hermione looking at him. She appeared to him to be quite smitten and he felt his chest fill up again.

"God only knows why it's taken me so long to let my doubts go," Fred told her with an airy laugh. He felt the urge to grab her hand. So he gave in.

She wrapped her fingers in between his when he brushed his hand against hers. He looked at her, getting pulled into her brown eyes. He saw the happiness she felt in them and he knew she saw it in him too.

"I've never felt like this before either, Fred," Hermione told him softly.

Fred closed the gap in between them and the wands light was put out as he pushed it away from them. The room grew dark and Fred heard Hermione's slow breathing and felt her hand in his.

It felt right.


	9. Caught

"Fred?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

He could smell her sweet breath as she spoke to him, her face close to his. His eyes began to adjust to the darkness but still, he could only make out her eyes which stared at him intensely.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked quietly.

Fred thought about what to tell her. He felt a sense of courage in him that he hadn't felt with her before. This new found bravery urged Fred to tell her. He bit his lip and looked at her and told her the truth.

"About you," he said simply. "How I could ignore you for so long."

"This is happening too fast, Fred," Hermione told him. She stood up quickly and heard her footsteps moving away from him.

Fred pawed at the floor until his fingers felt his wand. He picked it up and lit it up again as he stood up.

"Hermione," Fred said, finding her silhouette as he jogged up behind her. He looked at her worried face and knew how she felt. He didn't know where the sudden change came from but he wanted her more than anything at that moment. "I'm sorry."

"What?" she asked, her arms tucked nervously behind her back. She looked at Fred and watched as disappointment fell over him.

"I'm sorry. I'm pushing you for something you're not sure about."

"Fred," Hermione said, moving her hands out from behind her and playing with them in front of her. She wrapped and unwrapped her fingers, watching them as she spoke. "I'm sure. I'm just…nervous."

"Why?" Fred asked, wondering what he had done wrong.

"I've never even had a real boyfriend, Fred."

"Do you think that matters to me?" he asked her. Sure, he had had several girlfriends. He wasn't new to flirting or even snogging. But he hadn't ever thought of Hermione differently because she was not the same way. "Besides, I just want one thing."

Fred saw it in his head. He yearned so bad to just lean over and kiss her. Just a kiss. That's all he wanted. To see what it was like to finally be close to her.

"What?" she asked though he knew she was aware of his intentions. He could tell by her uneasy stare, but he took her hand regardless.

"Just a kiss," he murmured. "Just one."

She didn't say anything. Fred watched her cheeks change color and she lifted her gaze to his. Fred felt everything begin to move slowly and he held her hand tighter.

He leaned in carefully and pressed his lips against hers. He felt his insides spark with excitement and relief as their lips met. Fred put his hand against her cheek as she kissed him back.

He kissed her innocently at first but soon, he let his lips part with hers, their mouths moving in unison. After a few moments, he pulled away and kept his face close to hers. He let out a long breath and an enormous grin covered his face. Fred looked at Hermione, who wore the same blissful smile, and grabbed her hand again.

"Just a kiss," Hermione recited. "Fred, I don't want to rush this." She became serious, her smile leaving her face.

"Okay," Fred said, feeling slightly let down. He gave her an encouraging smile. "We can take this slow."

Hermione played with Fred's hand in hers and traced the scars on it.

"Are you ready to head back?" Fred asked her. She looked up and nodded at him subtly. Fred smirked at her and he led her through the darkness, back towards the common room.

Fred walked into the common room and released Hermione's hand. He knew that she wanted to keep things under wraps for a little while. When he saw no one there, he turned around and smiled at her. She returned the smile and started towards the staircase. Fred followed after her and stood in front of her as she turned around a few steps up.

"Thank you," she mumbled, looking down at him from the stairs. She laughed lightly and stared at Fred who was trying not to show his yearning to kiss her again.

He raised an eyebrow at her and she gave him a curious look. As if she read his mind, she walked down one step and their lips met again. Fred leaned towards her, his hands on either side of the arch frame. Fred enjoyed her soft lips against his and smiled while they said their goodnight.

"Fred!"

His heart dropped into his stomach and he stumbled away from the archway, leaving Hermione with a shocked look on her face, staring at Fred nervously. He looked up the stair well at Ron.

His face was beat red and he was clenching onto the banister of the stairs, staring at his brother and best friend. Hermione looked at Fred and then darted up the staircase and into the girl's dormitory, locking the door loudly behind her.

Fred stared up at his brother who dark eyes were watching him closely. He felt his stomach lurch as Ron walked away, his eyes moist and unforgiving.


	10. Oct 2014: Author's Note

Readers,

I can't believe I wrote this story over three years ago. It's crazy to read my writing and your comments and see how much things have changed. That being said, I have decided to continue "The Restricted Section" but strictly as a rewrite.

With my writing skills about a thousand times better and my ideas still floating around in my mind, to do this story justice, I think a rewrite is the best choice.

For anyone who wants to follow the new rewrite, you can find it here as "Sipping on Fire". Thank you guys for your comments and I hope some of you are still around!


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